Typical igniters for a gas generator comprise at least two connecting leads and an incandescent means arranged between the connecting leads and surrounded by an igniting substance.
The igniter serves to ignite, when required, a gas generant of the gas generator, the gas generant then providing a pressurized gas. This gas may be used, for example, to deploy a gas bag of a vehicle occupant restraint system or to displace a piston of a linear drive.
The igniter is typically produced by the incandescent means first being attached to the two connecting leads. Subsequently the end of the connecting leads provided with the incandescent means is dipped into a liquefied igniting substance which adheres to the incandescent means. This procedure is repeated until the desired amount of igniting substance has built up on the end of the connecting leads provided with the incandescent means. Subsequently a so-called booster is provided around the igniting substance, this booster being ignited by the igniting substance on activation of the igniter, the booster in turn then igniting the gas generant of the gas generator. The booster is necessary since the igniting substance usually fails to furnish enough energy to ignite the gas generant in a sufficiently short period of time.
The object of the invention is to provide an igniter of the aforementioned kind, the production of which is simplified.